NBA Roundup: Lakers win at Spurs thanks to LeBron James' return

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NBA Roundup: Lakers win at Spurs thanks to LeBron James' return
LeBron was phenomenal for the Lakers
LeBron was phenomenal for the Lakers
Profimedia
LeBron James (37), back from a five-game absence, scored 21 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 105-94 win over the Spurs in San Antonio on Friday, their first win on the road this season.

James grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists, with three steals and a blocked shot, in 33 minutes on the court.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said the four-time NBA champion was "phenomenal" after missing five games with a groin injury.

All eyes were on James, who is on track - if he is spared injury - to overtake Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league's all-time leading scorer in February.

The 37-year-old star scored the first basket of the game and the Lakers quickly took a commanding lead. They led 59-41 at halftime, but the young Spurs team cut the deficit to 81-78 early in the fourth quarter. The Lakers then quickly responded, with James' dunk cutting the Californians' lead to 10 points.

Darvin Ham Sr. was pleased with what he saw.

"He was moving well," he noted of James. "Obviously there's going to be a little bit of rust ... but I thought he looked great."

Teammate Anthony Davis scored 11 of his 25 points in the final quarter, finishing with a double-double that also included 15 rebounds.

James expects to be back on the floor for the rematch when the Spurs host the Lakers again on Saturday, and he expects to see an improvement in his game.

"My rhythm and timing was a little off on some of my passes," he said. "But I'll be much better as the games go on."

The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum's 30 points, beat the Sacramento Kings 122-104 to improve their record to 15 wins and four losses.

In Boston, the Celtics survived a sloppy third quarter to dominate the Kings, whose eight wins in November included a seven-game winning streak that ended with a loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks earned a valuable win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (117-102) in a direct battle for second place in the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 38 points against the Cavaliers, who led by 16 points in the first half but conceded a 35-10 defeat in the third when the hosts turned the tables.

The Phoenix Suns maintained their slim lead in the Western Conference with a 108-102 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Deandre Ayton scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Devin Booker added 21 points as the Suns won their third straight game.

The defending champion Golden State Warriors got off to a hot start with a 129-118 win over the Utah Jazz, bringing their record to 10-10 in a season that has been rocky so far.

The first two picks of the 2019 draft faced off in New Orleans, where Ja Morant scored 23 points, with four rebounds and 11 assists, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 132-111 victory over Zion Williamson's Pelicans.

Williamson scored 14 points with five rebounds and four assists, but it proved insufficient against the Grizzlies' collective performance, which featured double-digit contributions from Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke and David Roddy.

In Charlotte, Kelly Oubre scored 28 points and Terry Rozier added 22 in the Hornets' 110-108 win over Minnesota that snapped the Timberwolves' five-game winning streak.

Oklahoma City and Portland both won in overtime, with the Thunder beating the Chicago Bulls at home (123-119) and the Trail Blazers dominating the New York Knicks on the road (132-129).

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